This week marked the 46th anniversary of NASA’s Apollo 11 mission to the Moon, where American astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to set foot onto the Moon.
Spending less than 24 hours in total on the surface of the Moon, Aldrin and Armstrong collected 21.5 kilograms (47.5 pounds) of lunar material to bring back to Earth.
The momentous occasion was broadcast on live television worldwide, capturing the famous Armstrong quote: “One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”
However, nearly 50 years after this historic event, some conspiracy theorists still believe the entire thing was faked.
Well, it’s 2015 and Professor Brian Cox ain’t standing for this anymore. Cox took to Twitter this week to deliver this message:
I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you don't think Apollo 11 landed on Moon you are a colossal nob end & should get a new brain
— Brian Cox (@ProfBrianCox) July 20, 2015
Aldrin even backed Cox up, calling him “a pretty smart guy.”
. @ProfBrianCox is a pretty smart guy. Also the Russians would have exposed by now if we didn't land. #Apollo11 https://t.co/N8nLKtaqRe
— Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) July 21, 2015
And let’s never forget this one conspiracy theorist’s encounter with Buzz Aldrin. I’m sure he certainly won’t.
Because if you call a former astronaut a “coward” and a “liar”, sometimes words just aren’t a strong enough response.